REVERSE PHOTOSHOPPING

A few months ago I had come across an article via Facebook that took me by complete shock. The term I learned in this article was called "Reverse PhotoShopping".  Essentially this phrase means that retouching photos is not used to make models look thinner, but is now being used to make models look fuller and healthier; no ribs or bones protruding from their skin.

This took a minute for me to process that it was actually a real thing that was happening. In our society, there is so much pressure for models to look extremely slim; collar bones showing, hip bones showing, and the infamous thigh gap. The models are trying to hard to fit this look that some are making themselves sick in order to achieve it.  Unfortunately, the editors are able to cover up the ill-side of models by now plumping the models back up to a healthier, yet still slim figure via Photoshop.

The former editors of Cosmo, Healthy Magazine, Vogue, and British Vogue have all admitted to having to photoshop models to make them look not so thin. These are fashion magazines that have a huge influence over the female population, specifically how we as women are supposed to replicate. As I have previously written about, media has a large impact on female's perceptions of their own body, and it can be correlated with a higher percentage of eating disorders. In a recent study I read:
"A meta-analysis of 25 studies involving female subjects, examined the effect of exposure to media images of the slender body ideal. Body image was significantly more negative after viewing thin media images than after viewing images of either average size models, plus size models or inanimate objects. "
-essentially this means that girls feel worse about their own bodies after seeing the bodies of the models in magazines. We are buying the magazines that are making us feel inadequate. I admit to buy Cosmo, Vogue, etc, unknowing that even if I am aware of how the media affects me, I am still buying into the falseness of the images.  It is hard to continuously remind yourself when you are looking at a beautiful editorial of Gisele in Vogue to remind yourself that, "yes she is gorgeous, but she is photoshopped to further enhance her 'beauty' (which can be defined as clear skin or a small wasit) and it is almost impossible to look like that without the help of photoshop". That is not an affirmation I want or will remember to tell myself each time i pick up one of these magazine. The intense use of photoshopping needs to be regulated and its heartbreaking that something this emotionally damaging has not yet been banned.
THANK GOODNESS SOMEONE IS DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT! I was so happy as I was researching articles for this blog that two congresswomen were in the midst of trying to regulate photoshopping. Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Democratic Rep. Lois Capps have co-sponsored a bill entitled H.R. 4341: Truth in Advertising Act of 2014, which calls for photoshop regulation in media and advertising. Essentially this bill will try and create guidelines for photoshopping, so as it does not continue to promote unrealistic body images. YAY! I will continue to follow this as I think its fantastic. (SIDE NOTE: this is the link that talks about the bill, you can actually voice your opinion to your local congress member about your support so hopefully it can get passed! https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr4341/text)
However, as I was writing this article is dawned on me, I dont have to wait for a bill to pass to regulate photoshop. As a model, I have signed numerous contracts allowing others to photoshop me for use in their editorials. What most independent models such as myself dont do, is create their own contracts. Usually they are used to protect their own rights of publication and such. What I have decided to do from today forward, is to have my own contract for those who i work with stating that they are unable to use photoshop to manipulate my size, shape, or proportions. If they are unwilling to sign it, I will be unwilling to work with them. I would love for this idea to catch on among other models in my community, and possibly further than that. I will be developing a contract within the next week or so, and if you want a copy to use for your own modeling PLEASE EMAIL ME! I think that waiting for major corporations such as Vogue and Cosmo to decide to start regulating photoshopping is going to be a LONG battle. I think starting with the models is a better way to fix the problem sooner. Just imagine is Gisele or Kate Upton prevented the use of photoshopping to manipulate their size, how much support they would get from others. This may be a pipe dream, but I like to dream big :)

here are some of the links to the articles I found my information on if you want to look further into this topic <3 you are all amazing and thanks again for reading

http://jezebel.com/congresswomen-introduce-bill-to-regulate-overzealous-ph-1564436575
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2792687/
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr4341/text

Double Standard-Weight

Hello Hello Hello!!!!!
I have returned for my one month lapse of writing in this blog. I had been extremely busy studying for the GRE and that was priority for the month of Feb and March. But it paid off because I did well! :) Just what i had wanted..Anyways..back to business

Topic of today was inspired by something I saw on the Tyra Banks Show. I am not nor have i even been an avid watcher of the Tyra Show but the title has sparked my interest. "Fat Hateration". Poor title but intriguing. The show was basically about a panel of women who were biased or discriminatory towards obese people. At the end of the show, they brought up the point I will be focusing on for this entry….That weight is a double standard. Meaning that our society views obese men and women a lot differently. Men: neutral. Women: Negative....They spoke about how In the corporate world, when one views an obese women they assume she is a secretary, and wouldn't assume that she is in a position of power. They assume she is lazy due to her size. When there is an obese man in power, he is given excuses on why he is fat, such as he works too much.
Even outside the corporate world we can see the double standard taking place. When you see a bigger man with a beautiful petite woman, commonly people will assume that he either must be really nice or has money. Even women said they like when a man is bigger because then they feel more liek a lady and like feeling so much smaller. Obese women on the other hand have said they have felt pressure from their significant other to lose some weight. Especially if there significant other is not over weight. Even through my own experiences, I have noticed there is DEF pressure in a relationship setting for the women to maintain her figure or stay fit. Im sure many of you can think of more instances were the double standard has taken place. Men usually always get the upper hand in these situations. Unfortunately, its not that they are only given the upper hand, but females are so harsh on other females. So it is not only that men get the better light of being bigger, but women beat themselves even further down.

The idea of having womens size being scrutinized while the mans size is not, is unfair. Not saying that we should start scrutinizing the men too, but that we need to stop being so hard on the women. We as women, are the quickest to criticize someones appearance (makeup, hair, size, etc). The only thing that is doing is hurting our own sex by making these criticisms acceptable. If women can do it to women, what makes males think they aren't allowed to do the same. In today's society there is a HUGE pressure for women to look a certain way. Celebrities don't make it easier, our friends don't make it easier, and we def don't make it easier on ourselves. Stop the criticisms. Stop making passing comments to your friends about how big someone is. Im sure they know how big they are without pointing it out. It is not your place to tell someone they are fat or obese. If you want to do something, HELP THEM. Be there to go on a walk with them. Be there to give them motivation on their weightless journey (if they are trying to lose weight). We as a society need to stop being so critical of others because it doesn't help anyone. Calling someone fat does not always motivate someone to lose weight. But I can guarantee it will make someone feel bad about themselves. You never know which comments will stick with someone forever and which wont, so make sure that the ones you are saying to someone are all positive, so those are the ones that stick. It has been studied that the negative things usually stick out more than the positives....

This was more of a rant than an informational post I am aware. But this is something that people need to be reminded of. I am also trying to be more cautious of what I say about people's weight and how I say it. One comment can lead to consequences you never knew were possible. It can trigger someone to want to diet. It can trigger someone to dislike their own body. It can trigger an eating disorder. So next time you are gunna call anyone fat either to their face or behind their back, think about who its helping and who it is making feel better...if you can think of a good answer, it probably shouldnt be said...

with that ...I HOPE EVERYONE WILL SPREAD THIS AROUND TO THE MASSES! :) thanks for reading! i will try to post a more informational one next time...I am thinking of either how Eating Disorders relate to other disorders (borderline personality disorder), or the different types of therapy and what are most effective.. hmmm :)